Letter from Dina Nath Varma to Abnashi Ram
DESCRIPTION
Letter from Dina Nath to Abnashi Ram, sharing news of the untimely death of a mutual friend, Balbir Dua, and the news that Nath’s daughter has taken a new job. He criticizes Indian Prime Minister Indira Gandhi, describing her as “groping in the dark.” He also mentions Pakistan’s tensions with India and says that he knew the new Bangladeshi President, Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, long ago. Nath also complains about Delhi, which he says he is “allergic to.”
ADDITIONAL METADATA
Date: December 6, 1972
Type: Correspondence
Creator: Dina Nath Varma
TRANSCRIPTION
Brother Ram,
I have bad news to communicate to you. Balbir Dua expired last week. He had tumor in the brain but the surgeons discovered it only when it burst.
I had met him only a couple of months ago at a party. Both of us slipped away to one corner of the lawn and talked about you and his father. I recalled how I accompanied his father on a freighter to the U.S.A., how he tought me the use of forks and knives and how I failed to recoginse him when I reached the docks for he has shaven clean in meanwhile.
He was only about 48 years. He had made good in life and was a very popular figure both in business and social circles. He leaves behind one son and one daughter. The son is about twenty years just out of college. He is beginning to take interest in business. The daughter is still an undergraduate.
Well, after the gap of about 15 years, we were getting closer to each other. We had begun addressing each other by first name.
On the home front, Goverdhan Das has not not been keeping good health. My daughter, Neena who was working with Thompson in Madras has joined The Statesman on the business side. She likes the job. The youngest one, Punam could not appear in her final degree examinsation because of sudden illeness. Now she is perfectly alright.
I met Lajpat Rai once in ahile. There is not change in him. His son has gone to West Germany and his txxx taken some job there. He could not finish his schooling here.
On political front, Indira is groping in the dark. She is keen to “Hatao Gharibi” but it appears the poor will always be with us. The capitalists have behaved very badly and hence; they can not be trusted. Socialism xx is a word. Indira has not been able to define it.
As a matter of fact, nobody in the world has been able to give exact meaning to it. May be it will lose its charm if we knew what it means exactly.
Our trouble with Pakistan centres around a strip of land measuring about one square mile. The leaders of both the countries are not yet out their feudalistic outlook. In our village, the zamindars used to spend their life-savings in litigation when the cost of the piece of land involved in the dispute was not more than a few rupees.
We have got Bangala Desh on our eastern frontier. We are all very happy about it. I knew Mujib when he was the errand boy of Suhrawardy. May be there is change in his heart. But what happens if this region goes under the influence of Mao or blackmails India by th-reatening to come close to Pakistan ?
I was in Delhi about a couple of months ago. I do not know why I am allergic to that city. I can not stand the official atmosphere. It is exasparating. I had plans to go to Kaithal but cancelled it at the last moment after spending a couple of hours at Chandigarh.
With lots of love,
Yours affectionately,
[illegible signature]
I have bad news to communicate to you. Balbir Dua expired last week. He had tumor in the brain but the surgeons discovered it only when it burst.
I had met him only a couple of months ago at a party. Both of us slipped away to one corner of the lawn and talked about you and his father. I recalled how I accompanied his father on a freighter to the U.S.A., how he tought me the use of forks and knives and how I failed to recoginse him when I reached the docks for he has shaven clean in meanwhile.
He was only about 48 years. He had made good in life and was a very popular figure both in business and social circles. He leaves behind one son and one daughter. The son is about twenty years just out of college. He is beginning to take interest in business. The daughter is still an undergraduate.
Well, after the gap of about 15 years, we were getting closer to each other. We had begun addressing each other by first name.
On the home front, Goverdhan Das has not not been keeping good health. My daughter, Neena who was working with Thompson in Madras has joined The Statesman on the business side. She likes the job. The youngest one, Punam could not appear in her final degree examinsation because of sudden illeness. Now she is perfectly alright.
I met Lajpat Rai once in ahile. There is not change in him. His son has gone to West Germany and his txxx taken some job there. He could not finish his schooling here.
On political front, Indira is groping in the dark. She is keen to “Hatao Gharibi” but it appears the poor will always be with us. The capitalists have behaved very badly and hence; they can not be trusted. Socialism xx is a word. Indira has not been able to define it.
As a matter of fact, nobody in the world has been able to give exact meaning to it. May be it will lose its charm if we knew what it means exactly.
Our trouble with Pakistan centres around a strip of land measuring about one square mile. The leaders of both the countries are not yet out their feudalistic outlook. In our village, the zamindars used to spend their life-savings in litigation when the cost of the piece of land involved in the dispute was not more than a few rupees.
We have got Bangala Desh on our eastern frontier. We are all very happy about it. I knew Mujib when he was the errand boy of Suhrawardy. May be there is change in his heart. But what happens if this region goes under the influence of Mao or blackmails India by th-reatening to come close to Pakistan ?
I was in Delhi about a couple of months ago. I do not know why I am allergic to that city. I can not stand the official atmosphere. It is exasparating. I had plans to go to Kaithal but cancelled it at the last moment after spending a couple of hours at Chandigarh.
With lots of love,
Yours affectionately,
[illegible signature]
PROVENANCE
Collection: Abnashi Ram Materials
Donor: Roshan and Raj Sharma
Item History: 2015-07-23 (created); 2023-01-06 (modified)
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